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Mobile, Ala. – The North’s corps of left tackles was supposed to be its strong suit in Saturday’s Senior Bowl. But moments after Colorado’s Nate Solder gave up a sack to Texas defensive end Sam Acho, Boston College’s Anthony Castonzo let Arizona defensive end Books Reed speed rush by him for a sack of Iowa quarterback Ricky Stansi.

An injury in practice forced another left tackle out of the game when Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi couldn’t go. Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander stuck with putting a center with his own quarterback to prevent botched snaps. Carimi’s teammate, John Moffett, a guard who hasn’t played center in three years, was paired with Locker while Stansi got Toledo’s Kevin Kowalski.

Kowalski suffered a false start following a holding call, giving Stansi a first-and-25, which turned into a second-and-25 and the North’s only big play of a half the South built a 17-0 lead . Stansi scrambled and on the run hit Lance Kendricks and the Wisconsin tight end picked up the first down when he made a South defender miss a the sticks for a 27-yard gain.

It was a brutal first half for the North quarterbacks, a trio that supposed to carry the day. Stansi was just three of six for 31 yards and when Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick came in late in the first half, he ended up just taking one snap because he threw an interception. The 6-4 Kaepernick is a top-shelf athlete trying to show the scouts he can also be accurate.

It didn’t happen on that pass. He ran up in the pocket, stopped and threw a high ball that Nebraska tight end Mike McNeil could have had but tipped in the air to Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright.